January 3, 2025
Striking new archaeological evidence shows that the early Christians did, in fact, pray to the saints
I’m excited to tell you that new archaeological evidence has pointed to yet more evidence that the early Christians prayed to the saints. Some of this is very new evidence — December 2024 is when this was announced to the public — and some of this builds on what we already knew. So a little bit of backstory here. On an episode of Catholic Answers Live recently, Cy Kellett asked me if I’d heard about this evidence out of Frankfurt, Germany...
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An even earlier documentary source is in the writings of St. Hippolytus from 202 A.D. He wrote a commentary on the Book of Daniel in which he prays to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: "You three boys, remember me, I entreat you, that I also may obtain the same lot of martyrdom with you." (Commentary on Daniel Book 2 Chapter 30)
ReplyDeleteThere's also, of course, much biblical evidence of praying to the saints and invoking their names in prayer:
Genesis 48:16 -- "The angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on." The Patriarch Jacob prayed that prayer. See also Hosea 12:4 -- "And he prevailed over the angel, and was strengthened; then he wept, and made supplication to him."
“Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Overlook the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness and their sin.” (Deuteronomy 9:27) In one of the Psalms, we ask for God not to turn us away “for thy servant David's sake.” (Psalm 132:10) In the fiery furnace, Hananiah prayed to God, “take not away thy mercy from us for the sake of Abraham thy beloved, and Isaac thy servant, and Israel thy holy one.” (Daniel 3:35)
These prayers don't directly address the saints whose names they invoke, but the assumption seems to be: we may not be worthy of God's blessings, help, and protection, but He might give them to us anyway if we show a special love for one or more particular Saints for whom He too held a special love.